


The verdict is in

by blueeyesmakemecry (Blueeyesmakemecry)



Category: Veronica Mars (TV)
Genre: AU after the murder trial, Canonical Child Abuse, Child Abuse, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Love, aaron echolls is a terrible father, post-murder trial
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:49:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25498630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueeyesmakemecry/pseuds/blueeyesmakemecry
Summary: After a jury finds Aaron Echolls not guilty of murder, statutory rape and aggravated assault, Logan knows there will be hell to pay that night. After all, he'd disobeyed his father and testified against him. And Aaron had never let a crime go unpunished.
Relationships: Aaron Echolls & Logan Echolls, Keith Mars & Veronica Mars, Logan Echolls & Keith Mars, Logan Echolls/Veronica Mars
Comments: 13
Kudos: 55





	1. Chapter 1

The courtroom was silent as the jury filed back in.

This was the moment when they would learn if Aaron Echolls would be held responsible for killing Lilly Kane, or if he would join the list of rich, white celebrities who got away with murder.

“Ms. Foreman, do you have a verdict?” the judge asked.

“We do,” the woman said. “On the count of murder in the second degree, we find the defendant…”

Her pause seemed to stretch over several minutes, but Logan was sure it was only a few seconds. He held his breath, too nervous to take his eyes off the foreman.

“...not guilty.”

Logan froze. He knew it was a possibility, but he hadn’t thought it would actually happen. Quiet murmurs started up in the courtroom, accompanied by the rapid clicking of cameras.

“On the count of aggravated assault, we find the defendant...not guilty. On the count of statuatory rape, we find the defendant...not guilty.”

Logan sat, stunned, as the room erupted into cheers around him. He hadn’t realized so many people in the gallery were fans of his father. Or that so many people would be happy that Aaron got away with killing a teenage girl. He turned back to glance at Veronica, who looked just as shocked as he did. Her face was white and she looked like she might be sick.

When he turned back around to face his dad, he saw Aaron was shaking his lawyer’s hand, a big smile on his face. Aaron’s eyes hardened slightly — just for a moment, so quickly Logan wasn’t sure if he’d actually seen it. But he shrank under his father’s gaze, nervous despite the crowd of people surrounding them.

Aaron beckoned to Logan as he walked out of the courtroom, wordlessly ordering Logan to follow him. With a backwards glance at Veronica, Logan obeyed and hurried out of the courtroom. With his mother dead, everything he had came from his father. As much as he hated it, he’d have nothing without him.

When he caught up to Aaron, he already was talking to the press outside. Of course.

“And you all know my son, Logan, of course,” Aaron said, pulling Logan over to his side. His fingers pressed tightly into his forearm in a way Logan knew would bruise later.

Keeping a tight smile on his face, Aaron leaned close to Logan and whispered, “Wait for me back in your hotel room. Have a belt chosen and ready for me.”

Logan tried to keep his fear from showing on his face. He knew if the press picked up on it, his punishment would only be worse. He didn’t need another beating and lecture about being a disappointment and embarrassment to the Echolls family.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Veronica exiting the courthouse, scanning the crowd as if she was looking for someone. When she caught Logan’s eye, she hurried toward him.

Logan tugged out of Aaron’s grip and darted toward his car. Veronica couldn’t know. He couldn’t risk putting her in Aaron’s crosshairs. He’d already killed one of Logan’s ex-girlfriends. There was no reason he wouldn’t kill another, especially one he hated as much as Veronica.

* * *

His hotel suite had never felt so small. He paced the room, too anxious to sit down and wait for Aaron to come in.

Thankfully -- or not, he wasn’t quite sure -- Aaron didn’t take too long to arrive.

It’s not like he wasn’t expecting it, but Logan still jumped when the door to the hotel room flew open and slammed into the wall behind it. Aaron had apparently conned Natalia downstairs to get a key. Wonderful.

Though it had been months since he’d heard it, the slam of the door against the wall still set off certain anatomic reactions. His heart began to race, his palms got sweaty and it became difficult to breath.

He was tempted to run into the bedroom and lock the door, but he knew that only would mean a worse punishment when Aaron got in.

“I knew you were stupid, but I thought you were smart enough to know my orders were not optional,” Aaron growled, stalking over to where Logan stood, frozen. “I told you not to testify. I told you what it would mean.”

He grabbed Logan’s hair and pulled his neck back hard, forcing Logan to look up at him. He dragged Logan over to the closet and roughly shoved him into the door.

“Get a belt and take your shirt off.”

His hands shaking slightly, Logan pulled the closet door open and grabbed the first belt he saw. This wasn’t the time for careful choosings.

Aaron grabbed the belt from Logan’s hands and roughly pushed him down over the desk, smirking when Logan’s head smacked hard on the wood. Logan winced, but didn’t dare make a sound. He knew from experience it would only be worse if he did.

The first hit came before he was ready. It always seemed to. Aaron kept swinging the belt at Logan’s back, harder and harder with each hit. Logan would’ve thought he’d be happy because of the verdict. But evidently that wasn’t enough. He seemed to need to hold someone responsible for the year he spent in jail.  
He choked back a loud sob, but didn’t even try to hold back his tears. It had been so long since his father had beat him, since he’d felt so...pathetic.

“You just remember this,” Aaron growled, bringing down the belt with every word. “I control you. I control this family.”

Aaron at last stopped, dropping the belt to the floor carelessly. Logan remained bent over the desk, not wanting Aaron to see the tear tracks or his red puffy eyes. But Aaron jerked him back by his belt loop, smirking as Logan stumbled and fell to the ground, catching himself on his forearms and narrowly avoiding landing on the new welts on his back.

“Now don’t you have something you want to tell me?” Aaron asked as he stood over Logan.

Logan knew what Aaron wanted him to say. It was what he always wanted him to say after he was done beating him. But he couldn’t force his lips to form the words.

“Say it,” Aaron growled, smacking Logan hard across his face. Logan let out a small whimper and Aaron crouched down next to him. “I can make your life hell, boy.”

“I--I’m--I’m sorry, dad,” Logan stammered, steadily avoiding eye contact with his father.

“And what else?” Aaron demanded, shoving Logan down so his back rubbed against the rough carpet. Logan knew it wouldn’t be over until he said it.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“What was that?” Aaron asked, pressing down hard on Logan’s chest.

“Thank you,” Logan said again, his voice louder this time.

Aaron nodded and stood up. He was appeased. For now, at least.

He heard the door slam shut as Aaron left Logan lying on the floor of the hotel room. Good riddance. He really needed to speak to Natalia about who she gave keys to.

Logan turned onto his stomach, but otherwise didn’t move from where he lay on the floor. He couldn’t summon the willpower to stand up and take a shower, or to put a shirt back on.

He heard the door open again and he squeezed his eyes shut. He wasn’t ready for a second round. He couldn’t go through that again.  
“Logan? Oh my God, Logan!”

It was Veronica. He had never been happier to hear her voice.

“Logan, I got here as fast as I could, but the woman at the desk wouldn’t give me a key so I had to con a housekeeper into letting me in,” Veronica rambled, rushing over to where Logan lay. “Here, let’s get you up.”

Logan just shook his head. “I can’t,” he whispered, feeling his eyes well with tears again. “Just leave me here.”

“I’m not leaving you,” Veronica said firmly. She sat on the floor next to him, gently maneuvering him so he was lying on his side with his head in her lap. She pushed a few stray hairs away from his face, then grabbed his hand and squeezed.

They sat in silence for some time. It seemed Veronica didn’t want to push Logan to talk, something he was very grateful for. She ran her fingers through his hair, never letting go of his hand.

“I’m pathetic, Veronica,” Logan mumbled after several minutes of silence.

“What?” Veronica’s head snapped around. Logan was glad he didn’t have to look her in the eyes.

“I’m pathetic. I didn’t stand up to him. I didn’t fight him. I never do.”

“Oh, Logan, this is not your fault. Nothing you did or didn’t do makes you deserve this. This has nothing to do with your actions. Only his.”

Logan sobbed in Veronica’s arms, partly due to the pain in his back and partly due to the emotions swirling through his mind.

“Logan,” Veronica murmured. “Please, Logan, let me help you. Come back to my place, let my dad and I protect you.”

At first, Logan shook his head. He couldn’t put Veronica and her dad in danger.

“He’ll come back,” Veronica said, and Logan squeezed his eyes shut as his breath quickened. “You know he will. It’ll only get worse. Please, Lo, let us help you.”

“Okay,” Logan whispered, his voice quavering. “Okay. I’ll come with you.”


	2. Chapter 2

Veronica drove home, leaving Logan’s Xterra parked at the Neptune Grand. She wasn’t sure if Logan was up to drive, even though it was a short ride home.

Sure enough, when she glanced over at the passenger’s seat, Logan was fast asleep. He looked so peaceful, eyes closed and breathing softly. But his arms were wrapped around his stomach, hugging himself like a small child. Veronica accidently drove over a pothole, and Logan whimpered.

Veronica clutched the wheel, anger brewing in her mind. She wanted nothing more than to hunt Aaron Echolls down and kill him. Logan had changed so much in the past year since Aaron had been in jail. And now he had come back into Logan’s life and ruined everything in the span of a night.

She gently shook Logan awake once she’d parked outside her apartment. He mumbled something unintelligible and turned away from Veronica.

“Logan, we’re here,” she said softly as she opened her door and went around to Logan’s side. Logan looked embarrassed to have fallen asleep and he jumped up quickly.

“Is your dad home?” he asked, yawning.

“Yeah. Is that OK?”

Logan looked a little uncomfortable, but shook his head.

“He doesn’t know,” he said hesitantly. “Right?”

“I haven’t told him anything, if that’s what you’re asking. But he’s pieced some things together on his own.”

Logan didn’t respond, but he nodded slightly. With a last glance at him, Veronica led the way inside.

“Honey I’m home,” she hollered as soon as she opened the door. “Logan is with me.”

“Hi, sweetie, hi Logan. How are you kids feeling?”

“Hello, sir,” Logan said, sounding oddly formal. Veronica glanced over at him. It was obvious Logan was more than a little uncomfortable being in Keith’s presence. He looked too young, his shoulders hunched tightly as he curled in on himself. Veronica had never seen him like this. It worried her that he didn’t have his hard, smartass shell on.

Keith didn’t say anything about Logan’s strange greeting, but he shot a questioning glance at his daughter. Veronica shook her head slightly, signaling they’d talk about it later.

“I’m wishing I had blackmailed some jurors,” Veronica sighed. “Maybe cracked a few heads in the parking lot.”

“I’d have been right there with you. Guess it’s too much to ask for Lamb to put together a solid case,” Keith said.

Later came much faster than Veronica had wanted it to when Logan reached for a glass in the cabinet and his shirt rode up slightly. She could see several bloody gashes and welts, crisscrossed over faded scars.

Veronica tried to step in front of Logan, but it was too late. Keith had seen.

“Veronica. Can I talk to you in the other room for a minute?” Keith asked. Veronica could tell he was struggling to keep his voice steady.

She glanced back at Logan, who shrugged. “I’ll be here, living the dream.”

As soon as Veronica shut the door to her bedroom, Keith started talking.

“What the hell is going on, Veronica? Aaron Echolls gets off and disappears, then suddenly you drag a shell-shocked Logan in with bloody gashes on his back?”

“It was Aaron,” Veronica said, surprising both herself and Keith by bursting into tears. “I saw him grab Logan at the courthouse. Right after he was acquitted. It was out by the press line, and Logan had rushed out of the courtroom so I followed him because I wanted to talk to him. I saw him wince, Aaron was holding him so tight. A-and Logan ran off when he saw me trying to talk to him. He drove back to the Grand -- I lost him but I figured that’s where he was going. I went up to try to talk to him and I heard Aaron yelling and--”

Veronica couldn’t go on. Her dad pulled her into a hug.

“He was beating him, dad. I heard the belt,” Veronica sobbed. “The door was locked and I made a housekeeper downstairs give me a key, but I was too late.”

“Oh sweetie,” Keith said, sounding like he was crying as well. “How bad was it?”

“Nothing worse than he’s done to me hundreds of times before.”

Neither of them had noticed Logan standing in the now-open doorway. Veronica gasped.

“Logan, I’m sorry. I-”

“Ronnie, it’s OK. What do you want to know, Mr. Mars?”

Logan’s voice was wrong; he sounded calm and collected, but there was a shaky vulnerability behind it that Veronica had never heard before.  
Veronica thought she was going to be sick as Logan matter-of-factly told them about a time when he was 12, when Aaron had knocked him to the ground and burned him with a cigar.

As much as she tried to banish the images, she could picture it in her mind. Aaron’s nasty smirk as he stood over a shaking, young Logan. How Aaron, blowing the acrid smoke into his face, had shoved him to the ground and pinned his wrists above his head before holding the burning tip of the cigar to Logan’s arm, even as he struggled and begged him to stop.

Logan pulled up his sleeve to show them the scar, nestled on the soft skin inside his elbow. Even after so long, it stuck out.

Before Veronica knew it, she had crossed the room and was standing in front of Logan. She gently rubbed her thumb across his scar and pulled him into a hug.

She hadn’t noticed him shaking, but once he was in her arms, it was all she could focus on.

“I- I’m sorry, I’m pathetic,” Logan said, choking back a sob.

“No, no, no, Logan,” Veronica said, pulling back and cupping his cheek. “It’s not your fault. You are not pathetic.”

“Veronica? Can I have a word alone with Logan?”

Logan sucked in a quick breath and took a step back, his eyes wide. The fear was evident on his face.

“I’m-- I can leave, I’m sorry. I don’t- I don’t want to intrude,” Logan stammered.

“C’mere, kiddo. I’m not mad. You can stay here as long as you want. I just want to chat for a few minutes, OK?”

Veronica stepped outside the room, just outside of her father’s view, making sure she kept the pair visible. She couldn’t help it; she was nosy.

Logan looked so young, his shoulders hunched tightly as he curled in on himself.

She could hear Keith murmuring something to him, his hand on Logan’s shoulder, but couldn’t quite make out the words. Whatever he said seemed to work. Logan nodded and blew out a shaky breath. He appeared to be calmer, and let Keith pull him into a hug.

But then a knock at the door came.

“Veronica, don’t get that,” Keith said, his voice low. Reaching for the safe, he pulled his gun out and held it at his side. “Both of you, stay in here and shut the door.”

“But--”

“Now, Veronica,” Keith said, his voice sharp.

Shocked at her father’s tone, Veronica nodded and closed the door. Another knock came.

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” she heard Keith call.

She glanced over at Logan, who again looked nervous.

“Mr. Echolls,” her dad said. “What can I do for you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN...I had several requests to continue this story, so I changed it from a one-shot into something longer. I was going to stop at two chapters, but then I got inspired and kept writing. Next chapter coming soon!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! :)

“Where’s my son?” Aaron growled. 

Veronica heard Logan gasp quietly behind her. 

“This is why I didn’t want your help. He always gets his way, he always gets what he wants,” Logan said softly, reaching for the door. “I can’t let you get hurt.” 

“No, Logan!” Veronica hissed, stepping in front of Logan and blocking his path to the door. “I can’t let you do that. We can protect ourselves. We can protect you.” 

Veronica jumped as she heard the front door fly open, hitting the wall behind it. Her eyes widened. 

“Get in the bathroom, go, go, go,” Veronica urged, gently pushing Logan into the small room. She looked around. There wasn’t anywhere Logan could hide. There weren’t many places in the entire apartment where he could hide. 

“I have an idea,” Veronica said. “Get in the shower and don’t come out until I say it’s okay.” 

Veronica knew Logan had to be terrified when he didn’t even protest her order, just turned and stepped into the bathtub, pulling the shower curtain closed behind him. 

Veronica locked the door and waited. She didn’t know if Aaron would insist on searching the house, or if Keith would let him. 

“Aaron, let’s be rational about this,” she heard her dad say. She could tell he was just barely containing his anger. It was all Veronica could do not to grab her taser and go out to deal with Aaron herself. But she knew that would only make things worse for Logan. 

When Veronica heard Aaron’s footsteps stomping around the apartment, she flushed the toilet and stepped out of the bathroom, pulling the door shut behind her. 

“I know he’s here,” Aaron growled, poking his head out of Veronica’s room. 

“Well you’ve checked the whole apartment, and I don’t make a habit of going to the bathroom with other people, so you might have to chalk this one up as a loss,” Veronica said, shrugging. “He’s not here. I haven’t seen him since I left the courthouse.” 

She tried to keep an innocent smile on her face and she prayed Aaron wouldn’t see through it. 

“So if you were in the bathroom alone, you won’t mind if I check for my son then, right?” 

Veronica froze, just for a second, but it was long enough for Aaron to notice. He smirked and pushed past her. 

She rushed after him, her dad following closely behind. Veronica stepped into the bathroom just as Aaron pulled the shower curtain back, exposing Logan. 

He’d wedged himself into the corner of the tub, knees to his chest and his arms around his legs. His face was expressionless as he stared up at Aaron. 

“Hello, father. Fancy seeing you here,” Logan said. 

Aaron growled and grabbed Logan by the hair, dragging him out of the bathtub. Logan wasn’t quick enough and he stumbled when he tried to step over the side of the tub and he fell, cracking his head on the tile floor. 

“Logan!” Veronica gasped, taking a step toward Logan. But Keith grabbed her arm and held her back. 

He stepped in front of Veronica and tried to drag Aaron away from Logan. Aaron was bigger, however, and he used his size to his advantage and shoved Keith back, enough that he bumped into Veronica and they both fell, outside the bathroom. Aaron slammed the door shut and they heard the lock click immediately. 

“Do we have a key?” Veronica asked, eyes wide. 

“I’ll have to break it down or take the door off,” Keith said grimly. 

“Break it down. We don’t have time for anything else,” Veronica urged, pacing nervously. 

"I should belt you, you little bastard," Aaron hissed, "but I don't have the time right now. So I’ll just have to settle.” 

They heard Logan cry out and Veronica turned to her dad, wide eyed. 

“Dad! Do it now!” 

Keith took a deep breath and raised a leg, kicking at the door several times before it splintered enough to get in. 

Veronica saw Logan pressed against the wall, his eyes wide with fear. Aaron leaned in close to him and spat in his face. Keith grabbed Aaron and dragged him away from Logan. 

Logan sunk down to the ground, burying his head in his knees. Veronica couldn’t tell for sure, but it looked like he was sobbing. 

She knelt beside him and wrapped her arms around his trembling body. 

“I’m here, I’m right here, Logan,” Veronica said softly. “It’s all over. You’re safe now. Did he hurt you any more?” 

Logan shook his head. “Not bad. I don’t think anything is broken.” 

They were silent for several minutes; the only sound was Logan’s occasional sniffle and Aaron’s muffled yells coming from the kitchen. 

“Veronica? Thank you,” Logan said, lifting his head finally and looking at her. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy and he looked years younger than he was. 

“You don’t have to thank me,” Veronica said automatically. “I’m always here for you. Always.”

She noticed the apartment had gone quiet and cocked her head. Then her phone rang. 

“Dad?” she answered, confused. “Why are you calling me from the other room?” 

“I’m in the car, taking our friend here back to the police station,” Keith said. “I think we have plenty to book him. Assault, child abuse, I could throw a trespassing in there as well. Tell Logan he’s safe, that he won’t have to worry about Aaron anymore.” 

When Veronica relayed the message to Logan, she saw him smile for the first time that night. 

“Thanks for trusting us to help you,” she said softly. 

“Thanks for kinda saving my life, I guess,” Logan smiled. He stood up and pulled Veronica into a tight hug. 


End file.
